Three young athletes from Papua New Guinea made an impression at the esteemed Australian Junior Open Squash Tournament by displaying their brilliance and tenacity in a remarkable show of ability and perseverance on a global platform.
On-site PNG Squash Parent Mrs Merlyn Alarcos Kriebisch shared insights on their goals and journey.
“The three young athletes were Timonaliz Alarcos-Kriebisch, Ethan Kriebisch, and Gabriella Cox.”
“They were all very good competitors in their respective divisions.”
In the U17 Girls Division, 15-year-old Gabriella showed off her prowess, and in the U11 Boys Division, 10-year-old Ethan showed off his talent.
Timonaliz, an 11-year-old competitor in the U13 Girls Division, demonstrated the kind of talent coming out of Papua New Guinea.
Gabriella’s training ground is the POM Racquets Club, where she has been refining her techniques since 2019 as part of the Club’s Development Program.
Before moving to Brisbane for school last year, Timonaliz and Ethan first trained under Head Coach Madako Suari.
Under Coach Bradley Hindle’s direction, they carried on their training at the Daisy Hill Squash Racquets Club, keeping a strict regimen of practice sessions and neighbourhood tournaments.
“It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of their involvement in the Australian Junior Open.”
“The competition experienced a sharp increase in international participation this year, offering young players a competitive stage on which to showcase their abilities against a wide range of opponents.”
Mrs Kriebisch underlined the significance of these kinds of gatherings, pointing out that they raise the bar for competitors and extend the reach of prospective participants.
“For young squash aficionados in Papua New Guinea, competing in events such as the Australian Junior Open is a light of hope.”
“It establishes a standard for success and proves that meeting international standards is doable with the correct assistance, dedication, and support from the community.”
For the junior PNG players, winning matches is the main goal in addition to gaining useful experience and seeing results from their training.
“Their goal is to seek international recognition by fighting against elite opponents and working to raise their ranks.”
The long-term character of this voyage was emphasized by Mrs Kriebisch, who emphasized the necessity for persistent effort and perseverance in order to move up the world rankings.
“These young athletes are an inspiration to the squash world as a whole as well as their peers in Papua New Guinea, as they develop and perform well on the squash court.”
“They create new standards for upcoming squash players in the area with their skill, perseverance, and unflinching dedication.”
“They represent the spirit of greatness and resilience.”
Timonaliz made a great effort, but she was not able to make it to the semi-finals. Now, she is trying to get the U13 girls to finish in fifth place.
Players from Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Japan, and other countries have notably qualified for the finals in her division, underscoring the stiff competition PNG players must contend with.
Ethan is competing for the ninth position in the meanwhile.
The next competition, the Oceania Junior Championship, starts this Friday and ends on Sunday.